Cadbury’s Ulster Under-21 Football Championship Quarter-Final

Cavan v Monaghan, Wednesday, 8.00, Breffni Park

Monaghan travel to Cavan on Wednesday night to take on defending champions Cavan in the Ulster Under-21 FC.

Monaghan go into the championship on a positive note after winning the Shamrock Cup in impressive fashion against Tyrone a couple of weeks ago. That followed wins over Antrim, Down and Tyrone again in the Cremartin competition, giving Finbarr Fitzpatrick’s team a welcome confidence boost. They face a tricky first-round match, however, against Cavan, who are bidding to become only the third county to win three Ulster Under-21 titles in a row. Cavan fell short in their bid to retain the Hastings Cup, but there was no shame for them in losing narrowly to a Longford team who shocked then-All-Ireland favourites Dublin in the Leinster championship. Peter Reilly doesn’t have key players from last year like Kevin Tierney and Killian Brady at his disposal, but Cavan do still have Jack Brady, Fergal Flanagan, Killian Clarke, as well as 2011 Ulster minor winners like Conor Moynagh (if fit) and Paul Graham. Monaghan have players with county senior experience in Rory Beggan, Pete Dooney, Keith McEnaney, Jack McCarron and Daniel McKenna and they will also be looking for big performances from Conor Boyle, Johnny McGuigan, Pádraig McKenna and Stephen Sherry.

Breffni Park was not a happy hunting ground for the county seniors in the NFL last month when they lost tamely, but this Under-21 team will not repeat that performance and if they can live up to the promise shown in their last match, they could just do enough to qualify for the semi-finals.